There can be few jobs as unrewarding as that of a Bangladeshi traffic sergeant. This is particularly true if you happen to be posted in its overpopulated, unplanned capital.

By its very nature, the job entails long hours spent outdoors, which in this part of the world exposes you to very hot and humid conditions, apart from putting you in the thick of both air and noise pollution.

On top of all that, you must deal with an unruly, irreverent populace that puts no premium on the civic sense to abide by traffic laws and can even be openly hostile to people in uniform when pulled up for their actions.

On October 31, 2025, at approximately 11pm, Sergeant Md. Zahid Hossain Mintu and Constable Shahidul Haque of the Ramna Traffic Division were on night duty at Moghbazar Crossing.

At that time, a private car was coming from the direction of Moghbazar Railway Gate towards Mintoo Road. When Constable Shahidul Haque Sahed, under the direction of the on-duty sergeant, signaled the car to stop, the driver ignored the signal and attempted to speed away.

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With the help of other traffic officers, the vehicle was eventually stopped. When asked to show vehicle documents, the occupants - Mahbub Hasan Siam (20), son of Md. Kabir Hossain, and Khairul Alam (20), both residents of Keraniganj, began shouting on the road, forcibly grabbing Constable Shahidul Haque by his police uniform, and alleging that he was a “fake police officer,” while using abusive language.

Their actions constitute an offense under Section 75 of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Ordinance. Legal action was also taken against the vehicle under the Road Transport Act, 2018. Subsequently, the two accused were produced before the Special Metropolitan Magistrate, Ramna, who sentenced them to 15 (fifteen) days of simple imprisonment.

This is just one story that demonstrates the challenges faced by the Traffic Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police in the course of performing their duties.

Disobeying the traffic rules everywhere has now become almost normalised in the city, despite the Traffic Division’s best efforts to impose some order on the roads. As Dhaka expands further, experts warn that without comprehensive traffic management reforms and long-term planning, the capital’s roads will soon reach a breaking point — making everyday life even more difficult for millions.

Recent traffic‐enforcement drives by the DMP illustrate the scale of the problem. In early November 2025, the Traffic Division filed 2,580 cases over just two days across various parts of the city, with 676 vehicles dumped and 176 towed in that period.

On Nov 8, 2025 they reported filing 1,037 cases in a single day, towing 96 vehicles and dumping 277. Another earlier drive on October 21 saw 1,658 cases, with 398 vehicles dumped and 130 towed.

Meanwhile, nationally, BRTA data shows alarming accident and fatality numbers: in 2023, the authority recorded 5,024 deaths in road accidents and 7,495 injuries involving 7,837 vehicles.

The urban crawl

City‐officials point out that Dhaka, where amenities were originally planned and designed for a much smaller population, now accommodates over 20 million residents, while thousands of new vehicles join the roads each month.

According to BRTA statistics, in one recent dataset, Dhaka alone had over 43,398 buses, 42,968 covered vans, and a large volume of other vehicle types registered within its metropolitan area while the average traffic speed on Dhaka’s roads has fallen from about 21 km/h in 2006 to just 5 km/h in 2024.

Commuters are bearing the brunt. “I leave home at 7am and still end up late to the office. The traffic feels endless,” said Mahmud Hasan, a private‐sector employee travelling from Mirpur to Motijheel. The toll is not just time: health costs, fuel waste, and lost productivity mount steadily.

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Despite continued investments—such as the mega projects like elevated expressways and metrorails—the results remain patchy. Without coordinated, long-term traffic management initiatives—covering road‐space reallocation, public transport strengthening, parking regulation, the harnessing of technology, and behavioural change—the capital’s roads risk pushing everyday life closer to breaking point.

Autorickshaws pose dilemma

Another persistent problem is the unregulated movement of autorickshaws and battery-powered three-wheelers. Though these vehicles serve as an essential mode of transport for short distances, their sheer number and frequent violations of traffic rules make them a major source of gridlock. Many operate beyond their permitted zones, occupy key intersections, and often stop abruptly to pick up passengers — severely disrupting traffic flow.

“Auto-rickshaws are convenient but undisciplined,” said a private car driver Shahin. “Many drivers ignore signals, drive against the flow, and use roads where they are banned. Without strict regulation, they will keep adding to the chaos.”

According to DMP reports, unauthorized three-wheelers and easy bikes continue to enter restricted areas such as key city corridors, despite repeated drives. Traffic authorities have seized hundreds of such vehicles in recent operations, but enforcement remains difficult due to their large numbers and high commuter

Equally troubling is footpath encroachment, which forces thousands of pedestrians onto already congested roads. In many areas — including Gulistan, New Market, Mirpur, and Farmgate — sidewalks remain occupied by makeshift shops, tea stalls, and parked motorcycles. Hawkers have virtually taken over walkways in commercial hubs, leaving little space for foot traffic.

According to DMP officials, the lack of usable sidewalks increases the number of pedestrians walking on the roads, reducing vehicle speed and increasing the risk of accidents.

“We conduct eviction drives almost every week, but the vendors return within days,” said a DMP zone officer from the Traffic South Division. “As long as there’s no coordinated rehabilitation plan for hawkers, the problem will continue.”

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